Carrie Underwood: Newlywed Life Is Better Than People Warned

The newlywed life is the good life for Carrie Underwood, who was told there would be rough patches.

“Everyone says the first month is the hardest, or the fourth month or the eighth month,” the 28-year-old, who wed NHL player Mike Fisher last year, told PEOPLE. “We’re just enjoying it.”

The country songstress’s career has been “go, go, go,” she said, adding: “You never really get to stop and smell the roses and really enjoy just being a person.”

With Fisher’s season about to begin, Underwood performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas Friday, a two-day music festival that featured performances by Jay-Z, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Kenny Chesney and Nicki Minaj.

The festival was just one highlight of what Underwood called an “amazing” year.

The big highlight, of course, was spending time with her husband and being a newlywed.

“When you get to reflect on everything, it’s really nice,” she said, “and I’ve had that chance this year.”